Growing in Grace – December 2025

December 2025

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33).

Here we are at the end of another year, and at the final meditation for our readings. It has been our prayer that all of those reading through these thoughts for the year will have found themselves to have been stretched, and to have grown a few inches (spiritually speaking). There is so much in God’s Word, and we have hardly scratched the surface of all the wonderful thoughts, plans and love-messages God has tucked throughout His book.

We cannot begin to absorb all these lovely gems He has put in the Bible for us all at once. There is an encouraging verse in Isaiah 28:10. It reads like this, “ … line upon line; here a little, and there a little.”

So as we read God’s Word, lovely and instructive thoughts come to us bit by bit. The Holy Spirit in us helps us to understand what God is teaching us from the part we are reading. It is a patient step by step learning process. And you will find that the more you read, the more desire you have to read.

When you read any other book, you come to the end and put it on the shelf, having absorbed the contents of the story, or the history in it. But with the Bible you will find that each additional time you read it, you will find something fresh and wonderful that you had not noticed before. How can that be? It is because the Bible it is an inspired book, written by God Himself. He wants to communicate with you and me! He wants to reveal who He is, and what He has done. He wishes to be your Guide and your Friend. Don’t put His special letter away in a drawer and forget about it.

May it be part of your everyday life, and may you “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Copy link Print

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29).

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

In the course of writing this devotional, I have referred many times to the importance of being saved, and used some warnings from Scripture to any who are not saved. But have you ever wondered if you could lose your salvation, if you were truly saved once? Some Christian groups today teach that you can be saved and then lost again. They say that if you commit a serious sin, you can lose your salvation. If we look at our verses for today, we see clearly that this is impossible. These two verses give us two very good reasons why we can never be lost again, if we are truly saved. We did speak about Romans 8:1 back in early March, but perhaps it would be good to go over this precious truth again, since it is so important.

First of all, we read in John 10 that those who have eternal life “shall never perish,” and that “neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” This is strong language, but then it goes on to say that “no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand.” Here we have a two-fold security, in the Lord Jesus and in God the Father. How could we be let go, if both God our Father and the Lord Jesus have us in their hand? It is impossible. I have seen boys hold something tightly in their hand, and then seen other boys try to pry that hand open. Sometimes a much bigger boy can pry open the hand of a smaller boy, but no one can “pry” open God’s hand and take us away. His hand is too strong for anyone!

Then, in our second verse, we are told that we are “in Christ Jesus.” This expression “in Christ” occurs many times in the epistles of Paul, for he received this precious truth directly from a risen Christ in glory. Think of it! When God looks at you and me, He sees us in all the perfection of Christ Himself! Is the Lord Jesus Christ fit for heaven? Yes, of course. Then we are fit too — perfectly fit, for we are “in Christ.” Can God bring any accusation against the Lord Jesus? No, of course not. Then He cannot bring any accusation against us, for we are “in Christ.” When this truth gets a grip on our souls, we realize that once we are truly saved, we can never be lost again.

Sadly, if we get away from the Lord, we may lose the joy of our salvation, and then we may even question in ourselves whether we are really saved. But it is not that we need to hang onto the Lord; rather, He is hanging on to us. And He will never let us go!

Monday, December 29, 2025

Copy link Print

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end therefore are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).

“Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace” (Psalm 37:37).

We are coming to the end of the year, and in both our verses for today, that word “end” is mentioned. Yet how different the end of one man is from the other man! There are many today who are following their own way, but without looking to the Lord, or reading His Word. They are listening to the wisdom of this world, and that way seems right, but it is really the way of death. The Bible tells us that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and this means not only death to the body, but eternal death in that awful place called hell. We are all subject to death because “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23), but those who refuse God’s offer of mercy through the Lord Jesus will experience eternal death, although they will exist for all eternity.

Our second verse today speaks about “the perfect man,” and we might think that this means that those who live what they consider “a good life” in this world will go to heaven because of their good life. But this is not what the verse means. Often in the Bible the word “perfect” has the thought of being mature, or full-grown, and understanding the things of God. No one is ever perfect before God in himself, for the only perfect Man who ever lived was the Lord Jesus. But after we have accepted the Lord Jesus as Savior, we can live for God’s glory in this world. This is the result of our having a desire to please the Lord. Not only will we have a perfect ending when we are taken to be with the Lord, but we will enjoy God’s peace in this world. We will be able to walk through this world in peace, and be sure of a peaceful ending down here, whether we die, or whether we are alive when the Lord comes.

Sunday, December 28, 2025

Copy link Print

“And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord … all the people shouted with a great shout … because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house … wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy” (Ezra 3:10-12).

Perhaps you have heard the term “generation gap” used sometimes, referring to how young people often think differently from their parents or grandparents. This is natural, for times change from one generation to the next; new things are discovered, and new ways of doing things are invented. Here in our verses today we have a generation gap.

There were younger people who shouted when the foundation of the temple was laid, for there had not been any temple in Jerusalem for about 70 years. They were glad to see a new temple being built. But some of the older ones who had seen Solomon’s temple realized how small and insignificant the new temple was, compared to the old one. Instead of shouting, they wept, for they realized that nothing as beautiful as Solomon’s temple would be built again for them to see.

We can understand both reactions. The older ones were saddened, yet the younger ones rejoiced, and I believe that the Lord understood why each group reacted differently.

A generation gap is natural, as new generations come along. However, we must remember that the Lord does not change, and that His truth and moral principles do not change. Let us never excuse bad behavior, and behavior that dishonors the Lord, by saying that “times have changed.” When I was growing up, there were no cell phones, no computers, no jet planes, no internet, and (you will laugh at this!), not even any ball point pens. We all wrote either with fountain pens, or stick pens that we dipped into old-fashioned ink wells on our desks. Things have really changed during my lifetime!

However, I am thankful that the Word of God has not changed, nor has the Lord Himself changed. Let us be ready to accept change from one generation to another, but be thankful for the things that never change.

Saturday, December 27, 2025

Copy link Print

“Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away” (Proverbs 4:14-15).

These verses remind me of a true story that took place in England more than 150 years ago, when people went from place to place either on trains, or in carriages drawn by horses. Wealthy people usually had a coachman who drove the horses for them, while they sat inside the carriage. On one occasion a wealthy man advertised for someone to take the job as his coachman, and several men applied. When he was interviewing them, he asked each of them the same question — “How close could you drive a carriage along the edge of a cliff without dropping a wheel over the side of the cliff?” The first one said that he could safely drive with the wheels one foot away from the cliff. The second one said that he could do better, for he claimed that he could drive within six inches of the cliff without dropping a wheel over it. But the third man replied, “When I am driving a carriage under those conditions, I stay as far away from the cliff as possible!” The third man got the job. The man who was hiring the coachman was not concerned with how close to the cliff he could drive the carriage, but rather with how safe the driver would be.

It is much the same in our Christian life. Some Christians like to see how close they can come to the world around us, and to the evil in it. They want to try and get as close as possible, yet not be involved in it. But just as the coachman who drives close to the cliff runs a real risk of dropping a wheel over it, so the Christian who gets as close as possible to the evil in this world runs a real risk of falling into sin. Our old sinful nature is strong, and the only way to keep it from acting in our lives is to recognize that it deserves death. If we think we can let it work to some extent, then it may well take over and lead us into sin. It is like lighting a small fire that we think we can control, only to find out that it soon gets beyond our control. Let us not try to get as close as possible to evil; rather let us follow the instruction in our verses today, and get as far as possible from evil.

Friday, December 26, 2025

Copy link Print

“And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem … and took with them John, whose surname was Mark” (Acts 12:25).

“They preached the word of God … and they had also John to their minister” (Acts 13:5).

“And John departing from them returned to Jerusalem” (Acts 13:13).

Probably all of us are quite familiar with the gospel of Mark, but have you ever considered the life of the man whom the Spirit of God used to write that gospel? His name was John Mark, and he is mentioned first of all in Acts 12:12, for there was a prayer meeting in his mother’s home in the middle of the night! They were praying for Peter to be let out of prison, and the Lord answered their prayers that very night. Later in the same chapter, in our first verse for today, we find John Mark going with Barnabas and Saul from Jerusalem to Antioch. Mark was a nephew to Barnabas (see Colossians 4:10), and as a young man, it would seem that he wanted to do something for the Lord.

Sometime later, when Barnabas and Saul went out on their first missionary journey, they took John Mark with them, and he acted as a servant for them. In those days they did not stay in hotels and have restaurants handy, so they probably had to arrange much of their own accommodation, meals, etc. But then, when they came to a place called Perga, John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. The Word of God does not tell us why he left, but it is quite possible that he found the traveling and hardships a bit hard to bear, and was not willing to carry on.

Sometimes, as young people, we can be like John Mark. Perhaps we really want to serve the Lord, but we are not ready to face the cost involved. We are not ready for the hardships involved, or the persecution that comes about when we face the world. Then it is easy to turn back.

But that does not need to be the end of our service for the Lord! The Lord was patient with John Mark, and when Paul did not want to take him on a second missionary journey, Barnabas took him to Cyprus again. Later, Paul referred to him in Colossians 4:10, asking the brethren to receive him if he came. He refers to Mark and others as being “fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me” (Colossians 4:11). Since Paul was a prisoner in Rome when he wrote this epistle, it would seem that Mark was there with him, and encouraged him.

Later still, when Paul was again a prisoner in Rome, he could say to Timothy, “Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11). Mark was not ready for ministry back in Acts, but he matured spiritually, and later the Lord used him.

If we turn back early in our life from some difficulties in serving the Lord, let us not be discouraged. Remember John Mark, the failing servant, who later matured spiritually, and was used of the Lord. Finally, he was called to write the gospel of Mark, a book that pictures to us the Lord Jesus as the perfect Servant.

Thursday, December 25, 2025

Copy link Print

“And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2).

On this date of the year many people traditionally celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus. We do not really know the exact date of our Lord’s birth into this world, and the Bible does not tell us. We are never asked to celebrate the Lord’s birth, but rather we are asked to remember Him in death. Solomon could say in the book of Ecclesiastes, “A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth” (Ecclesiastes 7:1). The birth of our Lord into this world was a wonderful event, but it is His work on the cross, and His death, that have settled the matter of sin before a holy God.

In our verse for today, we are again reminded that the birth of the Lord Jesus was prophesied long before He appeared in this world, and we are even told the place where He would be born. When the time came, the Lord allowed the whole of the Roman world to be set in motion, for a census that was taken that year. As a result of this, Joseph and Mary had to journey to Bethlehem, and there the Lord Jesus was born.

However, as our verse also reminds us, the Lord Jesus was “from of old, from everlasting.” He was God, and had no beginning as the Son of God. He had a beginning as a man, for He had never been a man before, but as God His existence was from everlasting. But as God He could not die, so He became a man, in order to be able to suffer and die. And He will remain a man for all eternity, to be able to enjoy our company!

Wednesday, December 24, 2025

Copy link Print

“And they [those arguing with Stephen] were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake” (Acts 6:10).

“But we all, with open face beholding … the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

The young preacher Stephen does not have many verses in the Bible devoted to his story. He did not live a very long life as a Christian. But it was a remarkable one, and one that should inspire us. He first appears in Acts chapter 6 and is stoned to death by the end of chapter 7.

He was a part of the early church — those who believed on the Lord Jesus and began to meet together after the Lord had ascended back to heaven and the Holy Spirit had come down. Men were arguing with him and trying to trip him up in what he was saying, as they wanted to get rid of him. It tells us in our verse that they could not resist his wisdom and spirit. He was not standing there, arguing and shaking his finger at them. No, the Lord gave him wisdom in what to say, and a spirit in which to say it. It was a gentle spirit, and we learn this from verse 15 of the same chapter. The men that were giving Stephen such a hard time, “looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it has been the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15).

I would think that an angel would have a kind, loving and glowing look to his face. Stephen knew that his life was on the line here. It is wonderful that the Lord gave him this spirit in talking to his accusers. This “spirit” that we talk about does not suddenly appear as a force in our lives. No, it is something to cultivate daily in spending time with the Lord and enjoying His love. It is something we must purpose in our heart to develop and also “cleave” to. This is where our second verse today comes in.

When we have accepted the Lord Jesus as our Savior, we all want to “grow in grace.” This verse shows us that the more we “behold” or gaze on the Lord Jesus, the more we will be changed to be like Him. If we want to be like Him, He will work that wonderful change in us. Move in closer and enjoy His love all day, every day! You will change without even realizing it. I am sure Stephen did not know that his face looked like an angel’s face, but what a testimony that was to all who looked at him.

Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Copy link Print

“He [a man named Eleazar] arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword” (2 Samuel 23:10).

“Barnabas … exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord” (Acts 11:22-23).

In English there are two very opposite meanings for the word “cleave” (or “clave” in the past tense). It can mean to split apart. We would use it this way when we talk about “cleaving a piece of wood.” There may be a big pile of logs waiting to be split for the fire, and you might say you needed to “cleave” them into smaller pieces. But then what about what Eleazar did with his sword? He hung onto it so tightly that it was as though, when the battle was over, he could hardly get his hand pried from the handle of the sword. Both of our verses today have this second meaning.

In order to cleave to something, we must have purpose of heart as in our second verse. We must have determination to accomplish something that comes from the heart! We build this kind of character trait when we are young. The teen years you are in right now are probably the most formative of your life. That is a serious thought! You are building a character and habits that will most likely follow you throughout your life.

In earlier meditations we have seen how Joseph, even though traded off by his brothers to be a slave in Egypt, pleased his God and Lord, and this was noticed by Pharaoh. In very hostile surroundings, he let his light shine and he was rewarded (down here on earth) for his faithfulness when he was made a ruler in Egypt.

Later we see Naaman’s wife’s maid doing the same thing. She was in a hostile country and yet she was kind and thoughtful and true to the Lord. When Naaman came back from being healed from his leprosy, I imagine he was very kind to her. Perhaps he even let her go home to her family!

And then there is Daniel. Once again, he was a young person carried away to a conquering country, where he purposed in his heart not to defile himself. He was made a ruler, eventually delivered from the den of lions, and lived to an old age.

As you progress in your teens, you may head off to university or to a workplace. These environments are often hostile to the Bible and the Lord Jesus. With purpose of heart, we need to cleave to the truth of God’s Word and shine for Him. It does not always end up that we are honored as the three examples today were. Tomorrow we will see someone else who put the Lord first, but who was not given the honor he deserved, at least not in this world.

Monday, December 22, 2025

Copy link Print

“And David said unto him [Mephibosheth], Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually” (2 Samuel 9:7).

The story of Mephibosheth is a very touching one, for it shows how David showed kindness to a young man who was lame on both his feet, and yet was able to sit and eat at King David’s table. You can read the whole story of Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9. Mephibosheth’s father Jonathan had been killed in battle with the Philistines, but David wanted to show kindness to anyone related to King Saul, because David and Saul’s son Jonathan had been such good friends. We know that Saul himself had tried to kill David many times, and Mephibosheth was probably afraid that David would kill him, because he was Saul’s grandson. However, David wanted only to show kindness to him.

But there is something in our verses today that is very special. David told Mephibosheth that he would eat his food at David’s table continually. Yet David also said that he would restore all the land of Saul to Mephibosheth, and told Ziba and his family, with all his servants, to work the land for Mephibosheth, so that “thy master’s son may have food to eat” (2 Samuel 9:10). If Mephibosheth were to eat at David’s table, why did he need a big estate in order to have food to eat?

David not only restored Mephibosheth to a place at his table, as one of David’s sons, but he also restored his dignity. He was not simply an object of charity, or welfare; no, he had his own estate with servants to work it for him. He did not need the food that was produced, but having that big estate gave him a proper dignity, as a king’s son. How gracious of David to do this!

The Lord has done the same thing for us as Christians. Like Mephibosheth, we did not deserve anything but death, but God has given us new life in Christ, and we will spend eternity with Him in heaven. However, He has given us more than that. He has given us an “eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:15), so that we have a dignity that is appropriate for us as sons of God. What a wonderful place God has brought us into! The Lord Jesus is going to inherit all created things, and He is going to share that inheritance with us.

Sunday, December 21, 2025

Copy link Print

“Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. And Asahel pursued after Abner … wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib … and he fell down there, and died in the same place” (2 Samuel 2:18-19, 23).

Asahel was one of David’s young men, and he was very brave. In fact, he is mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:24 as being one of David’s mighty men. David valued him greatly, but sadly, he died at a young age. Why did this happen? If you read the whole story of Asahel in 2 Samuel 2:18-24, you will see what happened.

As we see in one of our verses today, Asahel had the ability to run fast, and the Bible says that he was “as light of foot as a wild roe [deer].” Another good translation of the verse says that he was “swift of foot.” In the battle that took place between the servants of David and the servants of Saul, it seems that Asahel wanted the glory of killing Abner, the captain of Saul’s army. For this reason Asahel ran as fast as he could after Abner, and paid no attention to anybody else. But Asahel was only a young man, and he had not had much experience in warfare. Abner was a well-trained and experienced soldier, and Asahel was no match for him. Abner did not want to kill Asahel, and called out to him to chase someone else. But when Asahel would not listen, eventually Abner struck him with the back end of his spear, possibly thinking only of wounding Asahel. But the spear killed him, and he died right there in the field.

When we are young, sometimes we want to attempt to do things that are beyond our ability. This can happen in our natural life, and it can happen to us as Christians too. Perhaps we really want to do something for the Lord, but we want to do something big and important right away. But if we are not ready for it, it can cause trouble for us, just as it did for Asahel. Asahel could run fast, but he was not as good a fighter as Abner, and thus he was killed. It would have been far better for Asahel to do something else, rather than try to do something beyond his ability, and then to die. Let us be content to do what the Lord gives us to do, and wait until we are more mature as Christians. Then perhaps the Lord will give us greater things to do.

Saturday, December 20, 2025

Copy link Print

“If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee” (Proverbs 25:21-22).

“Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head” (Romans 12:20).

God thought that this verse was so important that He put it in both the Old and the New Testaments. But have you ever wondered what it means to heap coals of fire on someone’s head? Does it really mean to put hot coals on someone’s head, and burn them? No, that is not what it means.

Back before matches were invented, it was important for people to keep their fires burning constantly, so that they did not go out. Some people knew how to make a fire by rubbing two dry sticks of wood together, but many did not know how to do this. If they allowed their fire to go out, most people had to go to the nearest neighbor and get some hot coals to restart their fire. Usually the hot coals were carried in a container on the head of the person, for most people in the east carry loads on their heads. The container with the hot coals would rest on a special roll of cloth, shaped like a big donut, so that it did not burn the person who was carrying it.

If a neighbor came for some hot coals to restart his or her fire, some people would give out only a very few, and then he or she would have to hurry home before the coals went out. But a generous neighbor would give plenty of coals, heaping them up, so that they would stay hot. If someone was your enemy and had not been nice to you, it would be tempting to give him just a few coals. But the Lord tells us to do good to our enemies, for this is the way God has treated us. He has sent His Son to save us when we were His enemies. Now we are to show the character of God in dealing with our enemies. Then perhaps they will want to listen to the gospel and get saved!

Friday, December 19, 2025

Copy link Print

“Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

Two days ago I told you a story about a man named George Wishart, who gave up his life for the Lord in Scotland, back in the year 1546. Let me tell you about another man, or rather a teenager, who also gave up his life for the Lord in England about the same time.

His name was William Hunter, and he lived in England, in the town of Brentwood, in the county of Essex. He was a faithful Christian and had lost his job in London as a silk weaver because he refused to attend mass at the Roman Catholic Church. He came back to Brentwood where he lived with his father and mother, but he went to the Brentwood chapel from time to time to read the Bible, as very few people had Bibles of their own in those days. Through reading the Bible he had already come to know the Lord Jesus as his Savior, and he wanted to know more. One day he was caught reading the Bible, which was a punishable offence in those days, and the Roman Catholic authorities demanded that he be put to death.

He was eventually taken before one of the bishops in London, but he held his ground firmly, and would not submit to what he knew was contrary to the Word of God. After this he was imprisoned for nine months, and given the chance to “recant” or give up what he had learned from reading the Bible. But he remained faithful and did not give in. Finally he was condemned to be burnt to death in Brentwood, and this was carried out on March 26, 1555. William Hunter was only nineteen years old.

There is a monument there in Brentwood, on the spot where William Hunter was burned to death. If you are ever in England, it is worth a visit, just as the place in St. Andrews, Scotland, where George Wishart died, is worth a visit. My wife and I were able visit Brentwood and see the place some years ago. The writing on the monument reads as follows:

WILLIAM HUNTER. MARTYR.
Committed to the Flames March 26th MDLV.
Christian Reader, learn from his example
to value the privilege of an open Bible.
And be careful to maintain it.

Thursday, December 18, 2025

Copy link Print

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with Mine eye” (Psalm 32:8).

The Lord is willing to instruct us and teach us which way we should go, and sometimes He does this when we do not even realize that He is gently leading us a certain way. Let me tell you the story of a boy who was born back in Germany in 1907, and who was seven years old when World War I broke out in 1914. Life was hard in Germany in those days, and it became harder for him after the war started. They seldom had enough to eat, and as the war went on and it became evident that Germany was going to lose, things became much more difficult. At one point he was sent away from his parents by the German government, with many other children, in order to try and keep them safe from the full effects of the war. Naturally he was very lonely and did not know whether he would ever see his family again. Eventually, when the war ended, he was reunited with them, and found that they were all safe.

But the Lord had His eye on that little boy, and after the war, when things were still going badly in Germany, he had a chance to immigrate to Canada. Many farmers in Canada and the U.S.A. were advertising for young men to come from Europe and help with farm work. He came over in 1927 at the age of nineteen, all by himself. He had been brought up in a Christian home in Germany, and the Lord arranged for him to come to a Christian family in Canada, where he worked on their farm. During his time with them he got the assurance of his salvation, and grew in his soul. In all of these developments it was clear that the Lord was guiding his steps, and arranging things for him.

Then he began to wonder which group of Christians he should meet with. Well, he thought, I was saved through reading my Bible; if I keep on reading my Bible, it should show me where I should gather with other Christians. He read and learned the precious truth of gathering on the basis that all Christians are members of the body of Christ, and thus should all come together and worship in this way. Eventually he married a girl whose family had emigrated from England, and who was also gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. That little German boy was my father, and he had interesting stories to tell us.

The Lord often works this way in our lives too. He loves you, and has His eye on you as well. He wants to arrange your life for you, not only for His honor, but for your blessing. We can be assured that for the believer, “all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28). Things may seem to be going badly for us at times, but the Lord is using all this for our help and blessing.

Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Copy link Print

“For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Philippians 1:29).

Down through the ages since the Lord Jesus died, many Christians have suffered for the name of Christ. Sometimes it is good for us to know how some of them suffered. Back in the year 1546, a young man named George Wishart lived in Scotland, and preached the gospel. He was only 33 years old, yet he was well-known, and was much used in bringing souls to Christ. However, the Roman Catholic Church was strong at that time, and he was arrested and condemned to death for preaching doctrines contrary to the Roman church.

For approximately a month before he was executed he was kept in a prison (shaped like a large bottle) in St. Andrews, Scotland. The prison had a narrow neck about six feet wide (about two meters), which then opened up into a larger underground prison. He would have been let down into it by a rope. It was likely quite dark in there much of the time, and was not a nice place to be.

On the day when he was to be tied to a stake and burnt to death, the captain of the soldiers, who was a Christian (but who had to obey orders), asked George Wishart if he had any last wish. Wishart thought for a moment, and then said, “I would like to break bread one last time with the other Christians I know here.” The captain was able to arrange it, and one of the Christians who was there said it was a most wonderful time. George Wishart himself gave thanks for the loaf and the cup, and they all partook of it. Then a short time later Wishart laid down his life for the Lord.

Maybe you will never have the chance to go there, but if you go to St. Andrews, Scotland, you can see a circle drawn on the street where George Wishart was burnt to death for his faith, and you can still visit the bottle-shaped prison where he was kept. It is a solemn reminder of how difficult it was to be a true Christian back then! But the Bible says that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). If we live for the Lord in this world, we will suffer persecution of some kind or other. We should be prepared for it.

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Copy link Print

“And now I [Gamaliel] say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to naught [nothing]: but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply [possibly] ye be found even to fight against God” (Acts 5:38-39).

It is a very serious thing to fight against God, yet men have tried to do this many times. Back in the beginning of man’s history in this world, Cain thought that he could argue with God, and even lie to Him. Later on, when Noah preached about coming judgment, people made fun of him and did not believe him. Then, when the flood came, they all perished. Many other times in the Bible men thought they could resist God, but it did not work.

In our verses today, the chief priests and leaders of the Jews were determined not to allow the apostles to preach in the name of the Lord Jesus. God did many miracles to show them that all this was His work. Many people were healed of diseases, and when Peter and John were arrested and put in a prison, the angel of the Lord came at night and opened the prison doors, to let them out. Yet still the leaders of the people wanted to kill them.

Finally a well-known leader named Gamaliel told them that they had better let Peter and John alone. He had seen the power of God, and although there is no evidence that he got saved, yet he could recognize divine power. He realized that God was working, and that man could not resist God. For the moment the other leaders agreed to this, as they did not know what to do. Yet they still beat the apostles and commanded them not to speak in the name of the Lord Jesus.

We do not see miracles of healing today in the same way, but the power of God is clearly shown out in the preaching of the gospel, in the way people’s lives are changed. Yet many still think they can fight against God by forbidding people to read the Bible, by persecuting Christians, and by trying to prevent the preaching of the gospel. But God will always win, and even though some Christians are still put in prison, and some are killed, yet the gospel is spreading more than ever before. Remember, if you are a true Christian, you are always on the winning side!

After the Lord comes and takes every true Christian home to be with Him, armies of various nations will actually come out and think that they can fight against the Lord Jesus. We will not give details here, but this shows how man will become so proud and overconfident that he will think he can defeat God in battle. It will be an awful judgment when God destroys them.

Monday, December 15, 2025

Copy link Print

“Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?” (Matthew 27:17).

“Choose you this day whom ye will serve” (Joshua 24:15).

Choices! Every day we face them over and over. Most are not very important. But some are a matter of life and death. And our eternity.

Today’s verse in Matthew 27 is part of the story of our Lord’s crucifixion. It seems that each year at Passover time, it was the custom for the Roman governor to release to the people one of the prisoners from the jail in Jerusalem. I would imagine that then, as now, some of those being held were not guilty of the crimes of which they had been accused. Perhaps this would be a chance to give one of the better prisoners a chance at freedom.

Pilate (the governor) was making a choice that day, as were all the Jews of the city. Pilate knew in the depths of his heart that Jesus was not guilty of any crime, and that He was a good man. Of course, we know He was more than that! Verse 18 tells us that Pilate knew that Jesus was there because the crowd was full of envy. Envy is a terrible sin. Even Pilate’s wife had troubling dreams that night, telling her that Jesus was a “just” man.

So Pilate had a choice to make. Deep down inside I think he wanted the Lord Jesus to go free. So he found the worst criminal in the prison, a man named Barabbas, and gave the people the choice between him and Jesus. Quite likely he thought that at least Jesus now had a chance of being the One chosen. But “almost” to choose right is to choose wrong. The people all cried out, “not this Man, but Barabbas.” Their eternal destiny was in that cry. Naturally, our hearts are no better.

We know the touching and painful story of what our Lord suffered there on the cross. His blood was shed by the soldier’s spear. Later He was put into a tomb. But the wonder of the whole story is that he rose again! And now He can offer forgiveness to any and all who will repent and come to Him in faith. Yes, even those who were determined to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus could have repented and been met by His love and forgiveness. It is a choice.

Our second verse presents another choice. We can have accepted Him as our Savior, and yet not choose to serve Him. We will spend an eternity with the Lord Jesus in heaven. We pray that His wonderful love will draw each of us to want to spend our time on this earth close to Him, and serving Him.

Sunday, December 14, 2025

Copy link Print

“A good soldier of Jesus Christ … that he may please Him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:3-4).

We have talked a bit about the various parts of the armor we need to wear as Christians. All are very important. But what about the character and commitment of the soldier who is putting on this armor, and picking up that sword?

First of all, today’s verse tells us that the soldier has been “chosen” by the Lord Jesus Christ. What an honor and privilege this is for us! So, you are chosen and equipped with the tools. Now there is the training.

As young people we must walk with God, before we can fight for God. This takes purpose and daily reading of our Bibles, and talking with our “Captain” in prayer. Then we must follow His instructions. We do not draw up our own battle plans. And this war is an on-going one, every day of our lives. That takes spiritual food to keep us strong to fight. And commitment. And persistence. Spiritual exercise (not the 100 push-ups kind)!

Whom are we fighting? “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12). A powerful and determined foe. As we have often mentioned in other meditations, Satan is always in attack mode, so we must always be on the defensive.

The battle? It is a fierce one and we are told to “endure hardness” (2 Timothy 2:3). It is not fought from a life of ease and fun. We are to put to one side anything that might hinder our ability to fight. How can we fight an enemy if we are dipping into his store of enticing things to enjoy ourselves?

Our goal? We have eternity before us. We have the remembrance of what our Savior endured to make us His children. He is worthy of our full allegiance! Here is a quotation I enjoyed: “When a young Christian hoists his flag, and lets his friends know that he is for Christ, half the battle is over.”

It is a daily affair. When the children of Israel marched around those high walls of Jericho, they did it every day for six days. Each day, they were just told to do it again. No reason given. No knowing the outcome. They obeyed orders and all that was heard was the marching of those many pairs of sandals. The enemy looking from high on the walls most likely made fun of that crowd below. But God had His purposes, and it ended in a great victory for those obedient people.

How will our warfare end? “With all boldness … Christ shall be magnified” (Philippians 1:20). And then that great verse in 1 Corinthians 15:57 — “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”

He is worthy of our best.

Saturday, December 13, 2025

Copy link Print

“It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth” (Lamentations 3:26-27).

The book of Lamentations is a rather sad book, for the very name of the book tells us what it is all about. To lament about something is to be sad about it, and maybe to cry about it. It was written by the prophet Jeremiah, and in it he expresses all the unhappiness he felt at the condition of his people Israel, when they had been carried into captivity as the result of their sin. However, there is some encouragement in it, and some good advice. In verse 25 of our chapter, we are reminded that “the Lord is good unto them that wait for Him,” and later on, in verse 31, we read that “the Lord will not cast off forever.” In all His judgment the Lord remembers mercy.

In the verses we are reading today, we have good advice for those who have problems in their life. First of all, we must accept them from the Lord, and trust the Lord to bring us through them. Especially when we are young, we are sometimes in a hurry for things to happen, and are not willing to wait for the Lord. (I was often that way when I was young!) But the Lord does not always act on our time; we must wait for His time.

More than this, we read in our second verse for today that it is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth. What does this mean? A yoke was used to enable a team of oxen to pull a plow or other farm implement, and of course no young ox wanted to be introduced to working in a yoke. It meant that he had to stay connected to that plow, and to pull steadily. But if he were introduced to it when he was young, he would get used to it and be able to do it all his life.

It is like that for us too. Life is difficult in this world, for sin has imposed hard work on us, and brought trouble into the world that was not there in the Garden of Eden. However, if we become accustomed to work when we are young, we will be able to work well all our lives. Those who have never had to work when they are young are at a real disadvantage, for as they grow up, they resent authority, and tend to quit if they are asked to do some real work. I hope all of you learn to “bear the yoke” in your youth.

Friday, December 12, 2025

Copy link Print

“And seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 45:5).

These words were said by Jeremiah to a young man by the name of Baruch, who was a scribe that did some of the writing for Jeremiah. He was evidently very upset by the condition of things among the Jews at that time, and had talked about it.

We are not told just what “great things” Baruch had been thinking about, and what he might have wanted, but the Lord told Jeremiah to warn Baruch not to seek great things. Why would the Lord say this to a young man? When we are young and healthy, we are accustomed to looking ahead in life, and wanting to use our time and energy to make something of ourselves.

However, the Jews were about to be carried away into captivity by the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar. They had continually worshiped idols and dishonored the Lord, to the point where the Lord could not call them His people outwardly any longer. Jeremiah knew this, even though the king of Judah and many of his advisors did not believe it. But Jeremiah knew that the kingdom of Judah was at an end, and that it was not the time to seek great things.

So it is for you and me today. Ever since the Lord Jesus was crucified this world has been under judgment, and it is only a matter of time until the Lord carries it out. God has been gracious and has waited nearly 2,000 years while the gospel goes out. We can be thankful for this, but it is not a time to be seeking great things for ourselves in this world. It is a time to be serving the Lord and seeking His interests in this world. Yes, we need a house to live in, food to eat, and clothes to wear. We need a job to earn our living, and it is right for us to work and support ourselves. But to look for great things down here is to do so in a world that rejected the Lord Jesus, and that is now under judgment. How much better it is to use our time for the Lord, and to lay up treasure in heaven!

Thursday, December 11, 2025

Copy link Print

“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O Lord God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16).

Sometimes, when someone has said something that turns out to be wrong, or when someone has predicted something that does not happen, we say in English that he was compelled to “eat his words.” This means that he had to take back what he said, because what he said did not happen, or was just plain wrong.

However, the meaning in our verse for today is quite different. Jeremiah appreciated the words of the Lord, and when he heard what the Lord said, he spoke of eating them. When we eat something, it is digested in our stomach and bowels, and becomes part of us. That food is used to nourish our bodies, and to give us strength. More than this, he very much enjoyed the word of the Lord, for it was the rejoicing of his heart. When we are hungry it is always nice to eat a good meal, and we enjoy it. It was the same with the word of the Lord to Jeremiah; it was to him like a good meal!

However, there was a condition that made him enjoy the Lord’s words. He could say, “I am called by Thy name, O Lord God of hosts.” Jeremiah knew the Lord, and was on intimate terms with Him. He received the word of the Lord, and spoke it plainly to the people of Judah. They did not always appreciate it, but Jeremiah was faithful, even if it meant persecution for him.

If we belong to the Lord, we too will enjoy the Word of God, and it will be spiritual food to us, just as natural food nourishes our bodies. But we must know the Lord Jesus as our Savior to enjoy the food from the Word of God.

There is one more expression in this verse that is important. Jeremiah addresses the Lord as “Lord God of hosts.” This expression occurs hundreds of times in the Old Testament, and brings before us God’s power, whether for His people, or in judgment against evil. If we belong to the Lord, we belong to One who not only gives us enjoyment, but who is also all-powerful.

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Copy link Print

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (Malachi 4:5-6).

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (Revelation 22:21).

About 100 years ago, a small boy (actually one of my uncles!) asked his Sunday school teacher why it said “Amen” at the end of the New Testament, but not at the end of the Old Testament. This sounds like a boy’s question, doesn’t it? His Sunday school teacher did not know the answer right away and said that she would answer it the next Lord’s day. But later, when she read the two verses that we have for today, she immediately knew the answer.

The word “amen” means “I agree with that,” or perhaps in some cases, “Let it be done.” In the Old Testament we have the history of what sinful man is, and the results of all the testing God gave man, to see if there was any good in him naturally. But man was a total failure, and the “day of the Lord” which is mentioned in Malachi 4:5 is a day of judgment which will come on this world. Man is guilty before God and will come under His judgment, unless he accepts Christ as His Savior.

But could God say “Amen” to that? Is God happy to carry out judgment? No! He is a loving God who “will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). God could not say “Amen” to a curse that will come on the world.

But in the New Testament we have the history of the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, who came into this world to save sinners. “The grace of God which carries with it salvation for all men has appeared” (Titus 2:11 JND), and all who will come to Christ can be saved. At the end of the New Testament, God can say, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.” Can God say “Amen” to that? Yes, He can, for “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:26). God’s judgment on sinful man is necessary, but God takes no delight in it. He delights in displaying His grace and can say “Amen” to it.

Tuesday, December 9, 2025

Copy link Print

“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).

The word worship is used quite often among Christians today, yet many do not really understand what the word means. I have heard people who attend a so-called “church” talk about someone in that “church” that “leads the worship.” Usually this is someone who stands at the front and organizes the songs that are sung, and perhaps directs the music, whether singing by the choir or others playing instruments. I have heard others talk about having a Bible reading together, and sometimes they speak of having “a little worship.” But neither of these is really worship.

Properly speaking, worship is not thanking the Lord for what He has done for us, although true worship may include that. Nor is worship praising the Lord for who He is, in all His majesty and glory, although once again, true worship may include praise. Worship is not really thinking about myself, but rather about God Himself, and His beloved Son the Lord Jesus. We see God as our Father, and the Spirit of God leads us in adoration for the knowledge of this relationship. We see in our verses today that we worship the Father, but we know that the Lord Jesus Christ has revealed the Father.

We also see in our verses that we must worship “in spirit and in truth.” They could not properly do that in the Old Testament, for they were not indwelt by the Holy Spirit back then. The word “worship” is used a number of times in the Old Testament, but it was not “true worship,” for they also did not have the real assurance of their salvation back then. It is only since the Lord Jesus has come and completed His work on the cross that we can truly worship.

It is also important to notice that God is not seeking worship; rather, He is seeking worshipers. But if we are worshipers, then worship will be the result. However, we will not be thinking about our worship (How lovely this hymn sounds! etc.); we will be thinking about the Lord Himself.

We can worship the Lord as individuals, but worship is more properly connected with our coming together to remember the Lord, as He has asked us to do. His Spirit is then free to lead out our hearts in worship, as we realize our relationship with God as Father, and how the Lord Jesus has brought us into that relationship.

Monday, December 8, 2025

Copy link Print

“The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7).

I have not used much poetry in these meditations, but this poem is exceptionally good. For this reason I am using the same verse as yesterday, together with a little story. This poem was written to the Stevens family in St. Ives, England in 1934 by a Christian brother, Frederick W. Lavington. The Stevens brothers were fishermen, and one night while out in their boat a terrible storm came up. One of the brothers lost his life. Mr. Lavington was a much beloved brother in Christ who lived in London, England, and he wrote this poem to comfort the family.

The Lord is good. Yea, none is good as He,
Who called us from our darkness to His light,
Gave us to know His Son, and ever be
Conformed to His image in His sight.
He is our strong hold in earth’s darkest hour,
When seas run high and tempests shake the soul:
His way is perfect, and no adverse power
Can swerve His purpose from the eternal goal.
“He knoweth,” yes, He knoweth all the way
We take; each heavy trial is to mold
Our wills to His, that we can truly say,
“When He shall try me, I come forth as gold.”
“He knoweth them that trust Him,” and His love
Is worthy of our confidence entire;
His end will show in those bright realms above
The full accomplishment of all desire.
Yea! Thou art good, our Father, and our lines
Are fallen in pleasant places. Give us grace
To know that for Thy glory all combines
And for our good, until we see Thy face.

F. W. L.

Sunday, December 7, 2025

Copy link Print

“The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7).

This verse, tucked away in the book of Nahum, has been a great comfort to many. The first chapter of Nahum is full of judgment, and tells us what the Lord is going to do in a coming day, when the Lord Jesus comes back to this world to take His rightful place. However, the goodness of God is always there, for God is good. He may have to bring judgment down upon the wicked, for He is a holy God, and must judge sin. But in that coming day of trouble, the Lord will protect those who follow Him. He will recognize them that trust in Him, and will be a strong hold for them.

You and I can take this verse, and apply it to ourselves too. There are plenty of problems in our Christian pathway through this world, and perhaps some of them are small problems. The Lord wants us to feel free to come to Him even with small difficulties, for He is never too busy to listen to us, and to help us with a problem.

However, sometimes we have a really big problem in our life, and it is almost more than we can bear. I knew a family some years ago whose house burned down, and it was a real blow to them. They were able to rebuild the house because they had insurance, but they lost many things in the fire that they could not replace. I remember another situation where the father lost his job and could not immediately find another one. He had a good job, and it was very hard for his family when suddenly they had no income. In still another family one of their children was killed suddenly by being hit by a car. All these were Christian families, and these events in their lives were very hard on them.

In these situations particularly we must remember that the Lord is good, and that He wants to be our strong hold in the day of trouble. A strong hold is normally a place where we can hide from trouble, and the Lord is able to do that for us. This does not mean that the trouble suddenly goes away, but He is our strong hold in the trouble.

Saturday, December 6, 2025

Copy link Print

“And they set the ark of God upon a new cart … and Uzzah and Ahio … drave [drove] the new cart” (2 Samuel 6:3).

“Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God” (2 Samuel 6:6-7).

This was a very sad event in the history of David’s reign as king, and yet it teaches us something that is very important. The ark of God had been in the house of a man named Abinadab for twenty years. You may remember that the ark had been taken by the Philistines in battle, and God had sent serious trouble among the Philistines. The Philistines had sent it back, and it ended up in the house of Abinadab for many years. After all that time David wanted to bring it up to Jerusalem, where it belonged.

However, it is possible to do the right thing, but in the wrong way, and this is what happened. If David had read what the law of Moses said, he would have found out that only the Levites should carry the ark; it was not to be carried on a cart, even if it was a new one! But they put the ark on a new cart, and two young men drove the cart. When they came to a certain point, the oxen shook the ark, and in another place it says the oxen stumbled. No doubt Uzzah was afraid that the ark would fall off the cart, and he took hold of it to steady it. When he did this, the Lord smote Uzzah, and he died. What a sad ending to a happy occasion! David was very upset, and again the ark was carried into a house belonging to Obededom. It seemed to David like a very severe judgment for one act of holding the ark.

Later on, after several months, David had read the law, and realized that only the Levites should carry the ark. Then they brought it up to Jerusalem the right way, and God was honored in the way they did it.

In this world, sometimes people say that it does not matter how we do something, as long as we do it. But in spiritual things, God wants us to do things the right way. That is why He has given us His Word, and we are responsible to do things for the Lord according to the instructions He has given us. If we do something that is not according to God’s Word, the Lord may not strike us dead, as He did Uzzah, but the Lord will be displeased, and we will not enjoy His blessing in our lives as fully as we could.

Friday, December 5, 2025

Copy link Print

“Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us … and Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you … the Lord shall rule over you” (Judges 8:22-23).

“And his [Gideon’s] concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech” (Judges 8:31).

As we have seen earlier in these meditations, the Lord used Gideon to gain a great victory in battle, and to deliver the people of Israel from the domination of the Midianites. The Israelites were very grateful for this, and wanted Gideon to rule over them. In fact, they wanted him to become their king, so that his son would succeed him when Gideon died.

Gideon was a wise man, and he refused to take this place. He recognized that it was the Lord that had given him the victory over the Midianites, for you will remember that Gideon had only three hundred men, while the Midianites had more than 120,000 in their army. Gideon wanted the Lord to rule over Israel, and this was a good attitude for him to take.

However, later on in his life, when everything was peaceful in Israel, Gideon had a lot of children. It tells us that he had seventy sons! Can you imagine having that many children? Probably there were more, for he likely had some daughters too. But then he finally had one more son, whom he called Abimelech. This might not seem too unusual, except for the name he gave this son. Abimelech means “my father is king.”

It seems that Gideon must have had some secret ambition to be king, even though he refused it when he was younger. Giving this name to his son caused a lot of problems after Gideon died, for if you read on in Judges 9, you will find out that Abimelech killed all his brothers but one, in order to be the chief ruler. He knew what his name meant, and he acted on it. Eventually the Lord allowed him to be killed when a woman dropped a millstone on his head, but he caused a lot of sorrow in Gideon’s family.

Again, this is a serious lesson for us. Sometimes we know something is wrong, and we may refuse to do it, but deep down inside there is a secret wish that we could do it. Gideon’s secret wish made a lot of trouble for his family, and caused the death of all but one of his sons. If we know something is wrong, let us ask the Lord to help us get rid of that thought! If we hang on to that wrong thought, it will probably come out in our actions, sooner or later.

Thursday, December 4, 2025

Copy link Print

“And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him … as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot [know] not what is become of him” (Exodus 32:1).

“And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that He had done for Israel” (Joshua 24:31).

Perhaps you wonder why I have put these two verses together in today’s meditation, but there is definitely a connection between them. Let me try and explain it to you, and the lesson we can learn from these verses.

Some people like to be leaders, but most of us like to follow a good leader. This is true even in natural things. People like to follow a good boss at work, and they like to follow a good leader at the head of their country, whether a prime minister, a president, or a king. We also like a leader in spiritual things — someone who guides us in our Christian walk. This is especially true when we are young, for we often look for a “hero” whose life and character appeals to us. We see from our verses that this happened among the Israelites too.

They had good leaders, first of all in Moses, whom the Lord used to lead them out of the land of Egypt, and then Joshua, whom the Lord used to lead them into the land of Canaan. But what happened? Sadly, the people became occupied with the leader more than the Lord! When Moses stayed up in Mount Sinai for forty days, the people ended up making an idol out of gold — an idol like a calf! Then later, they followed the Lord as long as Joshua was alive, and the elders that outlived Joshua. But then it is recorded that “there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord” (Judges 2:10), and they began to worship idols again.

Why did the later generation not know the Lord? It was because they had looked to leaders whom the Lord gave them, instead of to the Lord Himself. Yes, God provides leaders to His people, and today He still gives us leaders and guides to help us. But no leader should take the place of the Lord. Those leaders can be a big help to us, but only when they help us to have a closer relationship with the Lord. Then, if the leader dies, or moves away, we can look directly to the Lord, and seek guidance from Him.

This is a most important lesson to learn when you are young. You may follow good leaders, and their example can be a big encouragement to us. However, if we get our eyes on them instead of the Lord, then, when the leader is gone, we will not be able to follow the Lord. Somehow we will think we need a human leader to follow, and if that leader is not there, we will seem lost. But the Lord wants us to have a direct relationship with Him. Then we will still be thankful for good leaders, but the Lord will be more important to us than the leader. If the leader is no longer there, we will only be drawn closer to the Lord, who will never disappear!

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

Copy link Print

“And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai … they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us … And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them … And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours” (Joshua 9:3, 6, 15-16).

If you read this whole chapter (Joshua 9), you will see that when Joshua and the Israelites began to conquer the land of Canaan, no one could stand before them. The two cities of Jericho and Ai were both defeated. A group called the Gibeonites decided to deceive Joshua and the others in Israel by pretending to have come a long journey from a faraway place. They wore old shoes and clothes, brought mouldy bread with them, and brought old wine bottles with them. Then they asked Joshua to make a league (a peace treaty) with them, and to let them live. Joshua and the Israelites believed them, but it says clearly that they “asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord” (Josh. 9:14). The Israelites made a league with the Gibeonites to let them live, and swore an oath in the name of the Lord. A few days later they found out that the Gibeonites had not come from a faraway place, but were actually some of the Canaanites whom the Lord had told the Israelites to destroy. However, since they had sworn to them in the name of the Lord, they could not touch them. They had to let them live, although they made them servants to cut wood and draw water (Joshua 9:27).

What lesson do we learn from this story? This is actually the second time that Joshua had neglected to go to the Lord for guidance. If you read about the city of Ai in Joshua 7 and 8, you will see that Israel decided by themselves how to go and fight against Ai, without consulting the Lord. But a man named Achan had sinned and had taken some valuable things from the city of Jericho, which the Lord had told them not to do. Joshua did not know this, but if he had looked to the Lord for guidance, the Lord would have told him. Now, with the Gibeonites, once again they acted without asking the Lord what to do, and ended up believing a lie. The Gibeonites remained in the congregation of Israel, and there was trouble with them hundreds of years later, in the reign of King Saul.

It is very important in our lives always to ask the Lord for guidance in any decision that we make. If you get used to doing this when you are young, it will become a habit, and you will continue to do it all your life. We may hear something that seems good to us, or we may read something that impresses us. Someone may give us some advice that we like, and perhaps we think we should act on it. But it is always good to ask the Lord what to do. He knows best, and He will never guide us in the wrong way.

Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Copy link Print

“And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them” (Acts 4:23).

Most people in this world like to be in the company of those with whom they feel at home. We may have to interact with strangers in our work, and perhaps we enjoy meeting new people from time to time. However, we all have those with whom we feel comfortable, and whose company we enjoy.

Even animals are like this, especially dogs. As you probably know, they have an unusual ability to find their way home, even if they are a long way from those they love. The farthest recorded distance that a dog has traveled to get back home is 3,218 km. across Australia. That is about 2,000 miles! We do not understand how a dog could find his way for that long distance, but God has given them that special ability.

Among the early Christians, as recorded in the book of Acts, there was often persecution, as various leaders among the Jews tried to stop the preaching of the gospel. On the occasion recorded in Acts 4, Peter and John had just healed a crippled man through the name of the Lord Jesus, and it had caused many to believe on Him. The Jewish leaders were upset about this, and commanded them not to speak in the name of the Lord Jesus.

As soon as they were released, we read in our verse for today that Peter and John “went to their own company” and told them what had happened. Together the whole group prayed to the Lord, asking Him to give them boldness to speak the word of the Lord. The Lord was with them, and the place where they were together was actually shaken, as a sign of the Lord’s power in supporting them.

This chapter shows us the two sides of our Christianity. On the one hand, as we have said, it is nice to be with our “own company,” among other Christians. We are all believers in the Lord Jesus, and we enjoy the same things. On the other hand, we are also to go out and speak to this world, telling them about the Lord Jesus. This is the way that others will be saved, and will also become part of our “own company.” We should do both of these things in our Christian life; we need the company of other believers, but we need to be a witness to this world too.

Monday, December 1, 2025

Copy link Print

“And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? That ye shall say, it is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when He smote the Egyptians” (Exodus 12:26-27).

The Israelites kept the Passover the night the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt and delivered the Israelites. But they were told to keep it every year, as a remembrance of what the Lord had done for them, and how He had passed over them because of the blood on the door.

As time went on, children would be born who did not remember the first Passover, and of course they would ask what it meant, when their parents kept it every year. Their parents were to explain to them how the Lord passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, but killed all the firstborn of the Egyptians. Then the children would in turn explain it to their children, and so on throughout many generations.

Sadly, the Israelites did not keep the Passover every year, as they were asked to do. As time went on, they turned away from the Lord and worshiped idols. Sometimes they had an ungodly king who brought idols into the country, and then they did not keep the Passover. At other times it seems that they simply got careless and forgot about it. We can be thankful for the times that they did keep it, but there were many years when it was not kept.

Perhaps some of you go with your parents to a meeting on Lord’s day where they remember the Lord Jesus in His death, using a loaf of bread and a cup of wine. We no longer keep the Passover, but rather the Lord Jesus showed His disciples how to remember Him with a loaf of bread and a cup of wine. If you do not understand all this, you should do as the Israelite children did; they asked their parents what the Passover meant. You can ask your parents what the remembrance of the Lord means. The Lord Jesus values it very much when we remember all that He did for us, in dying for us on the cross.